Chapter 2: One Murder.

 “Merci…”

He said as he paid the cab driver and steps out of the car meantime a wave of crisp wind blew - the jacket of his tuxedo blow with the movement of the wind. With exhaling air as it turned into fog because of the cold – ignoring the weather, he steps inside the building, and as soon as he walks in the old country bar, the smell of alcohol mixed with human odor hits his nostrils. He looked out of place in the rustic bar as he made his way towards the dimly lighted bar, well thanks to his attire he received winks from the women in ill-fitting clothes as they passed by him. Some openly brushed against him except his mind was too far to realize that at the moment, he was the eye candy for every woman in that bar. Not only women but even men were intrigued by his personality – he had an aura of authority around him filled with arrogance as he walked towards the bar. The reason he chose the unusual country bar was to avoid any meetings with his previous one-night stands because from the day he stepped on the soil of France, he's been to every type of bar and every night - he left with a lady in his arms but tonight, he wanted to drown himself in beer to forget his failure and this bar was perfect to distract him from his thoughts which were plaguing his mind the moment he left his Boss office. But it seems no matter where he goes - he grabs the unnecessary attention of people around him. Ignoring the curious stares from the crowd he speaks;

"One bottle of cold beer”

Said, Daniel, as he got seated on the stool in front of the bar.

The bartender nods his head and grabs a beer and removed the tin cap with the opener. He handed it to Daniel. He takes a long sip from the cold beer feeling the rich musty liquid in his mouth, the alcohol hits him. He closed his eyes bowing his head down drawing circles with the tip of his index finger on the wooden counter just like his thought which were revolving around his head;

"I trusted you above all those qualified officers Daniel but what you did in return?

You let me down,

Now, …. What am I going to answer the authorities?

Han!... Answer me God damned…You know what?

You are suspended… Just leave...!"

Daniel left the office while the door was slammed louder behind him. The voice echoed in his head meanwhile someone enters the bar as the door bangs louder than it should be.

The sound of door pulled Daniel back from his memories - he looked up at the door and saw a woman in a long sequins dress; it was sparkling under the dim lights of the bar. She didn't seem to be a lady with the choice of a country bar especially in that designer dress. He averted his gaze and took another sip from his beer and stood up to leave because it seemed he found this place quite noisy. He thought of leaving while grabbing his drink but as he turned. Daniel bumped into something and gasped when the cold liquid was all over his chest. He groaned in annoyance because the beer was all over his tuxedo;

"What the hell!"

He cussed as he glared up in anger but was stunned by the person standing in front of him. For a moment he felt his heart stopped beating as he met vulnerable pair of shinning orbs looking him in fear. Then realization hits him that it was the lady who entered the bar. She appeared terrified looking at the beer all over his shirt and jacket;

"I… I am sorry!"

She stuttered while her breathing was ragged like she had run a marathon.

Her face flushed while her hair looked disheveled while few loose tendrils had escaped from the elegant updo yet Daniel couldn’t understand in this chilly bar her forehead was covered in sweat buds while her body was shaking. Before he could ask her - she touched the beer stain confusedly with her trembling fingers on his shirt. Daniel felt his breath hitched when the delicate tips of her French manicured nails touched his soaked shirt. She mumbled an apology as her fingers brushed against his abs, he took a sharp intake of air - her mere graze was electrifying. She instantly pulled her hand back as if he burned her; she was petrified. Daniel holds her wrist to calm her but she was horrified;

"It's o..."

Daniel was interrupted by someone who growled from the door as he steps inside the bar while pointing towards her;

"She's there!"

The man rushes towards them and pulls the lady by her arm, she screams in pain;

"Help..."

Daniel doesn't let go of her hand.

He pulls her behind him while he kicked the man with his leg. He stands in front of her like a shield. The man stands up as the rest of the men gather around. Daniel and the lady get surrounded by a group of guys who seemed like a gang;

“Listen mister,

you don't have to screw up your life for this girl, give her to us and we shall leave you and get you an expensive drink! what say?”

The man says in French with a wink who appeared to be the head in the group and steps towards Daniel as he looks at the lady who was holding Daniel's arm strongly;

"I think you are right.... why should I put myself in trouble for this lady?”

Daniel agrees and removes the girl’s hand from his arm;

If it was only one man then I could have handled it but it's a group than I'm not in a mood for action beside I had enough on my plate for tonight!

He thought silently and slowly steps back with adding;

"She's all your gentlemen!"

Daniel Richman was a 28 years old English man - he belonged from a family whose been in army from generation to generation but he had a dream of working for MI6 and when his dream turned into his passion no one never knew. No doubt because of his capabilities and sharp mind; he was sooner sent on the missions. At a very young age, he achieved his goals but during his journey, he never gave quality time to his relationships. Because of that none of his girlfriends stayed with him more than three months. The job was his first priority and for that he could ditch any girl no matter how good she was. His father was proud of him but Daniel's mother was concerned because she didn't want her handsome son to end up in his life alone like her cousin brother. So, whenever Daniel was home for holidays Mrs. Richman kept parties for her son. So, he could meet girls and go on a date. Each girl in their society wanted to be his lady forever because he had the perfect English man charisma, his deep ocean blue eyes were enough to make a girl dream - he was a guy every girl idolizes. Daniel inherited his height from his father but the blonde hair with charismatic features from his mother.

Daniel had never failed in any of his secret missions but for the first time he did and it was very important for him because he was specially chosen out of many old and qualified agents but today he was suspended because he couldn't accomplish the mission to catch the French mafia's gang leader Tiago Pablo who was behind the murder of French police commissioner including the famous super model and many other crimes which his men did in the darkness of night. Daniel was sent to France for this mission, he succeeded to find a witness against Tiago but when he had to present it for testimony to his bad luck the witness didn’t show up like it never existed. Today when he tried to explain it to Colonel Addison, he refused to accept it. Daniel was muddled; he didn't change his clothes to wear something casual because he needed to calm his nerves with a nice cold beer, which he tried to but Addison's words still echoed in his head and hit him like a hammer;

"I trusted you above all those qualified officers Daniel but what you did in return? you let me down, Now, what am I going to answer the authorities? Han!

Answer me God damned.

Agent Richman, you know what?

You are suspended,

Just leave...!"

*

A breeze of cold wind blew rattling the stray leaves on the cobalt street of the abandoned alley while the only source that lit up the place was the light illuminating from full moon. The moon was shining in the sky in its full glory while sky was partly clouded. The whole calming surrounding would be considered quite romantic but it was entirely different for someone who was running in the vicious uninhabited street of Paris where not even stray cats would wander at night. There was no sound accept the only sound that could be heard were of someone’s haggard breathing as it echoed in the dark alley. She ran like demons from the depth of hell were chasing her. She ran as fast as she could with her killer heels on and not to forget her designer dress which now felt like an armor suit on the cobalt streets;

 Run as fast as you can… Run because if you managed to escape you might survive…

Her mind kept chanting the words as she kept running without glancing back afraid if she did turn to look back, she might encounter the devil himself after her. She stumbled and fell on her elbows when she heard the sounds of footsteps getting closer but she was fast enough to get back on her feet and continued to run as the bitter memory of her recent encounter flashed back in her mind;

"help me… help!”

“Please don't kill me I have little kids... Please, I promise I won't tell anyone about your boss…”

The French lady’s voice echoed in her ears while her horrified face was still in front of her eyes.

The thought brought tears to her eyes as she kept moving from alley to alley feeling herself forfeit. She felt like she was running from the beasts in a forest because the further she ran into it the deeper she got lost. When the noises behind her faded - she stopped to calm herself because her erratic breathing was the only sound that echoed in this dead fully silent place, just a mere glance at her surrounding had an eerie feeling giving her cold chills because the air around her was filled with a layer of mist. She gulped down the dry lump in her throat and grabbed the hem of her dress as she looked around for a safe place but her eyes caught the sight of a local bar sign. Before she could search further in the mist - she heard footsteps getting closer making her move to the only place she saw. She got to the place as fast as she could with her plan of staying discreet but she utterly failed when she stumbled while entering the bar as she opened the door with a loud thud in haste of getting inside before they could see. Her entranced got the attention of every single person inside the bar who eyed her with thoughts she was afraid to even think of.

Before she could grab the attention of any trouble maker, she moved away from the door with deep breaths because tonight wasn’t what she had planned for. With her mind full of thoughts - she walked cautiously towards the back door but accidently bumped into someone and in that moment her world came crushing down into ashes because she knew instantly it was the destroyer of her dreams … her one dream…

Well, he eventually turned out to be the destroyer because at first Rania thought he was a good man when he stood in front of her like a shield but soon, she was proven wrong because he handed her to the goons. Traumatized would be an understatement because what she felt at that moment was beyond every shocking feeling. She wasn't expecting the tuxedo guy to hand her over to the killers. They took her out from the back door of the bar but the leader was inside with that guy;

It seems he made a deal with them… How could people be so cruel… He seemed a sober guy!

Rania thought to herself and then looked up at the sky which was covered with clouds; she took a deep breath and the memories of her past flashed back in front of her eyes. They tied her hands and closed her mouth with a piece of duct tape. She was standing hopeless while a tear escaped from her left eye;

They will kill me and throw me in a gutter… so, nobody could find my body just the way they had done to that woman… Oh God, how would her family know about her death, they must be going insanely worried for her but what about me,

I don't even have a family who would worry about me and cry when I will be missing!

The gangsters were holding her arms tightly and it was hurting her but the pain of dying without fulfilling her dream was killing her already;

I never thought my life would end up like this, Oh God, why like this, now that I have almost achieved my dream and I was so close to it, you put me in such situation, why...?

You can't do this... not tonight, please save me,

Please God!

Rania prayed with her eyes closed meanwhile, she felt the pressure fades away from her arms;

"God has listened to your prayer!"

She opened her eyes and found the person she least expected.

*

 Earlier…

 "I think you are right!

why should I put myself in trouble for this lady”

Daniel agrees and removes the lady's hand from his arm. She was holding his arm like her life depends on it but he ignored the thought and slowly steps back with saying sounding careless;

"She's all your gentlemen!",

They pulled her harshly making her yelp in pain and were almost dragging her – but it seems she was too shocked to cry for help. He looked away but from the corner of his eye he felt her gaze was fixed on him. They took her away from his sight; he let out a breath because he felt like it was caught in his lungs the entire time when she was looking at him. Daniel couldn’t help but wonder a lady like her whose personality spoke every ounce of class and sophistication from the moment she stepped inside the bar. Her presence in this nasty bar was just like a freshly bloomed rose in the bushes of thorns but he let the dirty worms have her and above all he couldn’t ignore the way she looked him with disbelief like he betrayed her. Daniel felt an unknowing pain in his heart; her eyes questioned him; which was undeniable for him.

It wasn't for the first time for Daniel to break a woman's heart but this lady did not feel like the rest;

I can’t believe you let these vultures have her… God knows what they might do to her… do you have any idea what they might do to her… wait… you have every idea what those ugly vultures would do but you won’t move that lazy arse of yours because tonight you are in a cry baby mood… You let her be their prey for tonight… just remember after tonight she will be like one of those most beautiful flowers which is picked only for her petals to be plucked away and thrown in the trash leaving nothing… you let a rose to be eaten by those horrendous caterpillars…

His inner voice yelled at him making him close his eyes.

Daniel wanted to ignore his nagging thoughts but he utterly failed because he couldn’t get over the way the lady looked him disheartened as if he had broken the promises, he made to her.

Damn you Daniel… you weren’t raised to be a douche bag…

He thought as he took a sip from the new beer which the gang leader bought for him. He saw the ugly look in the French man’s eyes;

"The deal is done, Enjoy your drink Englishman!”

The Leader taps on Daniel's shoulder and turns to walk away hurriedly but Daniel stops him by keeping his hand on the French man’s shoulder and asks;

"Come on, we can have a drink together”

The man smiles and shrugs his shoulder while removing Daniel's hand and says with a smirk;

“I can't, not tonight… will join you some other day because I have some unfinished business to complete!"

Daniel smiles and rubs his unshaved jaw.

He was very well aware what the man meant by the word unfinished business but he wasn’t going to let that happen;

"Well, then this Englishman won't let you complete your business”

Before the man could understand the meaning behind Daniel’s word.

Daniel punched him squarely on his face so hard that the man fell backwards. He took him in the corner and ties up his hands and legs while stuffed his mouth with papers. 

Daniel did not like to meddle with other's issues but this time, he couldn't hold himself back from jumping into the whole puddle of mess. He went to the back of the bar where they took the girl, they were holding her. 

"Your Boss, wants all of you inside for a drink and leave the girl here with me”

He informed them and they rushed inside with joy leaving the lady alone. Daniel hurriedly locked the door from outside as they all left him with the lady. He turns to look at her and found her hands were tied behind her back while they had duct taped her mouth. She was standing there with her eyes closed facing the sky and it seemed she was praying. Daniel walked towards her while his conscience didn’t help to forget the feeling of guilt that engulfed his heart as he looked at the terrified lady scared to death - He stood in front of her, looking at those beautiful eyes which couldn't hold tears as they rolled down on her soft cheeks like crystals. Daniel wanted to cup her face and brush away those tears but he was captivated by her innocence meanwhile a tear rolled down till her chin and drops down.

Daniel was mesmerized by her charm and he knew that she hasn't felt his presence yet. So, he whispered close to her;

"God has listened to your prayer!"

She opened her eyes and found the person she least expected.

Rania gasped in shock and looked around herself; she was alone with this guy. Rania turns to leave but Daniel holds her and pulls her in his arms while he pulled out the pocket knife out of his jacket.

The moment Rania saw the knife she screamed but her voice came out muffled because of the duct tape but she pulls back her hand confusedly in terror. Before she could pull away Daniel freed her wrists from the rope and carefully removed the tape from her lips because he didn’t want her delicate skin to bruise but her lower lip had a slight cut. Daniel was about to ask about the bruise but the lady in his arms pulled away with fear in her eyes;

"So, now you will be the one to kill me, After all you are one of them!"

Rania whimpered in broken words while stepping back and turns to run but Daniel was fast enough to grasp her from back. He was confused at her outburst and was now facing her back; he leans and apologies in low voice;

"I'm sorry for what I did inside but trust me it was a plan to save you and I would never think to kill you not even in my dreams",

Rania tries to escape from his grip but all in vein because he was too strong for her;

"But what made you think that I will kill you or I'm one of them!"

Daniel turns her to face him but Rania closes her eyes while trying to escape from his hold;

"Because they killed a woman on the street and now you will do the same with me..."

She cried out.

Her words appalled him – his grip loosens around her. Rania steps back looking at the shocked man who appeared lost by her words;

They were about to kill her… I let the murderers take her… how could I…,

Daniel’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of loud banging on the door. He instantly grabs Rania's wrist and say's;

"Run!"